Fluctuating Neck Pain

Fluctuating Neck Pain that Persists for More than a Few Months

Neck pain that is often characterized by a low level of chronic pain that sometimes “flares” and gets worse, is made worse by certain positions or activities, and may be accompanied by arm pain, may indicate symptomatic cervical disc degeneration.

While cervical disc degeneration is virtually ubiquitous in humans, symptoms from this “gray hair of the spine” are less common and often short-lived. However, there may be an event, such as a twisting injury to the disc space, which precipitates the onset of symptoms and, in a subset of such people, may lead to chronic neck pain. Such symptoms are often proportional to the person’s level of activity; that is, the more the shoulders, arms and neck are used, the more they hurt.

In addition to the above conditions, there are a number of other less common cervical conditions. These cervical conditions can cause shoulder pain, wrist pain, elbow pain, or headaches.